Linked List: March 19, 2014

Wednesday, 19 March 2014

Wearing Apple 

Great piece by Craig Hockenberry, thinking about Apple and wearable devices:

Given everything presented above, it’s pretty clear to me that a “smartwatch” isn’t in Apple’s immediate future. But they’re clearly interested in wearable technology. So what are the alternatives for a product that could be released this year?

The first step is to start looking at things from Apple’s point-of-view. I ask myself, “What problems can a wearable device solve?”

As I think about answers to that question, it leads me to the conclusion that Jony Ive and crew aren’t looking solely at the wrist. Wearable technology could take cues from other kinds of jewelry: rings and necklaces, for example.

Don’t read this and think, Apple’s making a ring. Read it and think, What if they’re making something that is not a “watch”?

Elon Musk: To the People of New Jersey 

Elon Musk:

On Tuesday, under pressure from the New Jersey auto dealer lobby to protect its monopoly, the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, composed of political appointees of the Governor, ended your right to purchase vehicles at a manufacturer store within the state. Governor Christie had promised that this would be put to a vote of the elected state legislature, which is the appropriate way to change the law. When it became apparent to the auto dealer lobby that this approach would not succeed, they cut a backroom deal with the Governor to circumvent the legislative process and pass a regulation that is fundamentally contrary to the intent of the law.

Cogent and persuasive.

The response from New Jersey auto dealers? Makes them sound like characters from The Sopranos:

“This Musk guy, he wants all the profits for himself,” says Tom Dougherty, a 25-year veteran of the business who now works in sales at the BMW dealership in upscale Princeton, New Jersey. “They wanted to go direct, which means no sales force. That’s cutting out a lot of people. No way that’s gonna fly.”

Project Morpheus: Sony’s Prototype VR Headset for PlayStation 4 

Sam Byford, The Verge:

The VR system is currently codenamed Project Morpheus, and will work with PlayStation 4. While still in prototype form, Yoshida says that Morpheus is the “culmination of our work over the last three years to realize our vision of VR for games, and to push the boundaries of play.” The headset uses a 1080p LCD, offers a 90-degree field of view, and will integrate with the PlayStation Camera for tracking and PlayStation Move for motion control. It connects via HDMI and USB; while the current prototype uses a 5-meter cable, Sony would like to make it wireless. The company says the headset doesn’t put weight on your nose or cheeks, and its design allows for airflow without the lenses fogging up.

The race is on — there’s strong consensus that VR headsets are the future of gaming.